Jonathan's New Toy ...

[ShortArc]

Copy of earlier email to you:

Connectors (Price quotes are from a while back):
MS3106F32-6S - Light- $119.23 Enco/$80.39 Newark
MS3106F32-6P – Control - $96.39 Enco/ 75.89 Newark
MS3106F32-5S – Power – $87.24 Newark
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Remote would be:
MS3106F18-1S and P
[MS=Military Standard / 3106=Straight Plug / F=Environmentally Resilient / 18-1=Insert Arrangement / S or P = Shell or Plug]
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Larry prefered the angle plug on the light
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Cable # 4 Superflex Welding cable. (McMaster)
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I would use a Soldering iron.


Best,
Willem.

 

[BVH]

I used one of the propane/Mapp gas torches available at Loews or Home Depot for about 35 bucks that comes with a very small, low flow tip. You can actually weld small gage metals. If you turn it way down, it's very controllable and gets the heat onto the job without burning the insulation. (cover the insulation with a wet rag). This yielded a very nice connection. Shrink tube when done. I also used a second set of hands which made it easier.

Look at the Vu-Tron cable on McMasterCarr. There's an ampacity chart there you can use to determine sizes needed for both normal welding and Vu-Tron. The Vu-Tron is exceptionally flexible to facilitate use in the 90 degree fittings if you're going to use them. IIRC, I thought the -3's drew about 65 - 70 amps.

 

[ShortArc]

BVH, I like this cable from McMaster # 6948K92

Also Jonathan you should consider a lighter rectifier.
The one I found is a HC Power Inc 150A/28V switching Cell tower power supply weighing 25lbs. Input is 208-240V/26A. See attached pics.
Radio has a wealth of knowledge on these.

 

[tvodrd]

Like Bob said this is a AN/VSS-3 complete with controller and remote. What's missing are the cable and connectors.

Guys who build this before can you point me to where I can purchase the Amphenol connectors.

Milestone #1 is to get everything connected and Morse "Hello Jim", who is ~20 miles away.

Milestone #2 is to designing an enclosure for this with the following in mind.
1. SAFETY! Minimize the risk of pointing this at on lookers. HEIGHT!
2. Compact! The largest vehicle I have is a Camry
3. Easy to use!
4. Light weight! Keep the overall weight < 150 lbs

Milestone #3 is to improved the power supply to the system. Hookup my
Lorain power supply to run this beast as Uncle Sam designed it.

Milestone #4 Improve portability with the use of Lithium Phosphate batteries to reduce the weight by ~50 lbs (also limiting runtime to 10 minutes).

Project time line is 6 months. I'll keep you guys posted with my slow progress, since this is priority #3 on the hobby list.

ShortArc :I picked it up from the CPF BST.
Probedude: I heard from my src that another fella from the Bay Area was interested in one of these (or VSS1) was that YOU?
tvodrd: Larry no biggie, enjoy your vacation. I wish I can take mine. I have maxed out at 30 days but work is so busy that I have to just loose the accrued

Back from the desert where I got to play with some lights. (What's left of me. ) I chased down where I posted the connector info for the ones I used. I haven't started to unpack yet, but will get the rest of the kit rounded up, packed, and shipped before the end of the week.

Larry

 

[ShortArc]

Just hold the darn flashlight as usual .

Back from the desert where I got to play with some lights. (What's left of me. ) .....

Larry

 

[BVH]

Hey Willem, was it one of your posts somewhere on CPF a while ago that showed a running -3 on a rectifier pulling 65 Amps?

 

[ShortArc]

Bob,
Could be? Getting old!
I will measure in the next few days.
Cheers,
Willem

 

[modamag]

Thanks for the info guys. More spending opportunity.
Nice find on the rectifier too.

 

[ShortArc]

Bob,
The light I just tested pulled 59A intially and then settled at 53A, steady state.
Regards,
Willem.

Hey Willem, was it one of your posts somewhere on CPF a while ago that showed a running -3 on a rectifier pulling 65 Amps?

 

[BVH]

Thanks for the number, Willem!